Teen Pregnancy Pact

What are your thoughts on this?

I, of course, think its horrible. What a waste of youth! But who is at fault here?

The girls- Yes, of course, but they are still kids and naive to the pressures of their peers.

The men- Again yes, but it takes two to tango and I believe they were totally duped into it. They had no idea what the girls plans were!

The parents- Of course, Parents have a roll in this. Parents need to be more active in their teens lives. It is so easy to think "not my daughter" but that thinking is what makes you a grandparent at 35! Talk to your kids, don't yell and demand and make threats but talk to them! I think a lot of parents go wrong with "forbidding" and being too strict just daring kids to rebel.

The school system- We NEED MORE FUNDING for in school sexual education. Clearly, Parents alone isn't working, especially in this day in age where parents are busting their butts working with the economy like it is. Parents need help. We need to get it through these girls heads what they are getting themselves into! Abstinence of course is #1 important but Safe Sex must be taught. Reality checks for these girls about what taking care of a baby is really about. Show them that it's not some fairy tale! And I don't mean by a 30 min long video from 1972 about child birth.

Finally the media- Really, look at the influence out there. Babies are the new hot trend. Britney, Nicole, and now new teen mom herself Jamie Lynn. Girls see on the tv and in all magazines how CUTE it is to have a baby belly and push a designer stroller. I just went into my pile of magazines that my MIL insists on giving me every month and on every cover there is 2 or 3 baby bellies! Articles about what celeb is buying their baby this month.

They say it takes a village to raise a child but it also takes a village to PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY! Parents are not perfect, we are trying our best but with all these outside influences it is so so hard. We need to work together. Stop bickering about which way is right and which is wrong and combined the efforts!

*Stepping down from my soapbox*